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China and Hong Kong
Previous: Differences Between East and West German Societies After Unification China and Hong Kong Since return of Hong Kong to China in 1997, the country lives under the system "One country, two systems", i.e. a combination of a Stalinist, Maoist state, and society, with a capitalist society left over from the times of British colonialism. There is a convergence between these two systems, as the Maoist state is edging towards restoration of capitalism. Hong Kong was given substantial independence in its internal affairs, with its own political system and social institutions; however, the army and the foreign affairs are in the hands of China. There is an antagonism between the society of Hong Kong and that of China. For example, a CNN article writes: “For those across the border in the mainland, the perception of Hong Kongers ranges from admiration to a feeling of contempt: Following the media storm that followed the MTR noodle-eating incident, a prominent Chinese academic, Peking University professor Kong Qingdong, called Hong Kongers "bastards" and imperialist "running dogs”. Another example of the same: “On 5 February 2011, Lee Qiaozhen, a Hong Kong tour guide, had a quarrel with three mainland tourists.[15] Lee verbally insulted the tourists for not buying at a jewellery store, referring to them as "dogs".[16] The tourists were dissatisfied and this eventually turned into a fight.” One site devoted to Hong Kong writes: “Almost 18 years after the territory’s return to Chinese sovereignty, many mainland netizens look at Hong Kong as a place of traitors, British lapdogs, nest of subversives against the Communist Party, a Fragrant Harbor that now stinks. In short, hopeless. While mainlanders stress that Hong Kong is part of China, many of them speak of Hongkongers in the same breath as Japanese militarists or Taiwan secessionists, an attitude that seems to suggest they never genuinely regard the city as one of their own.” A view from the other side: “A poll last year found that ever fewer Hong Kongers identify themselves as “Chinese”. Many complain about what they see as the boorish behaviour of their mainland compatriots and brand them as “locusts” for stripping shelves. Some ensuing confrontations have been nasty. Scenes caught on camera in February showed a crowd yelling and heckling a mainland woman and her crying daughter. Mainlanders have been verbally abused and jostled by masked protesters.” There is an antagonism from the ruling classes of Hong Kong towards the Chinese political system. Al Jazeera writes: “there has been a steady rise in anti-mainland sentiment, seen in some politicians' "de-mainlandisation" slogans dating back a number of years, and a growing emphasis on Hong Kong identity as something separate or different from Chinese identity.” We have also seen an appearance of students in Hong Kong calling for independence from China. Some are even calling for a "Hong Kong army". Capitalist political parties are also advancing the slogan of "independence" for Hong Kong, as is made evident by the chart. As there is no "independence" in the real world, that means Hong Kong reverting to the status of a colony, most likly under the U.S. We see a contradictory policy of China towards Hong Kong. On the one hand, in Apirl 2016, it denies entry to American air-craft career, and its supporting vessels, into Hong Kong. Denial of entry to the American military vessels means China is asserting its independence vis-a-vis the foremost imperialist power. On the other hand, the legal system of Hong Kong protects the super-rich by not allowing democratic elections, and China supports this system , as was made evident during a recent visit by a Chinese professor to Hong Kong. Such zig-zags, or inconsistent policy, reflect internal contradictions within the Chinese society, the hidden civil war within it between socialist and capitalist tendencies. Next: What Happens to the State and Civil Society After Class Contradictions Sharpen? Category:Transitional states Category:An Attempt to Extend the Marxist Theory of State